Shell Length

[Bigslugger]

What size shells do all you guys use...Just doing some research and Kent Fasteel 2.75 1 1/8 @ 1550 fps are 9.99 a box compared to 3" 1 1/8 @ 1560 fps are 15.99 a box

any thought input to the subject?

[z71rad88]

All depends man. Everyone has there own personal opinions of what works. Some guys swear by shooting 3inch for everything and others will change up to 3.5 for geese only or some shoot 3.5 for both ducks and geese. I would look at patterning your gun with 3inch and see where that leaves you. If your shooting your birds really close and wanna save some cash, you could very easily get away with using 2.75 too. Just depends on your hunting situation and personal preference. For me, hunting in California we get a BIG mixture of birds (geese and ducks). So I'd rather just be loaded up with 3.5s day in and day out, but thats just me.

[SDmallardmasher]

I usually will shoot winchester expert hi velocity 3" bb's, 2's, 4's. Pattern awesome thru my M1. Watch some stores like wal-mart especially in the spring and sometimes early fall they run some damn good deals. Last year i picked up winchester dry-loks for 10 bucks a box (3" 2's and 4's).

[freefall319]

All depends man. Everyone has there own personal opinions of what works. Some guys swear by shooting 3inch for everything and others will change up to 3.5 for geese only or some shoot 3.5 for both ducks and geese. I would look at patterning your gun with 3inch and see where that leaves you. If your shooting your birds really close and wanna save some cash, you could very easily get away with using 2.75 too. Just depends on your hunting situation and personal preference. For me, hunting in California we get a BIG mixture of birds (geese and ducks). So I'd rather just be loaded up with 3.5s day in and day out, but thats just me.

I personally run 3 1/2" #2's all the time (i'm out here in Cali too). Like he said, i get a big mixture of birds. Anything from teal at 10 yards to Honkers at 40 & that is not the time to be wishing you'd had a bigger round in the gun. I'd rather hit them too hard, than not hard enough. Yes, they cost more, but, we practice calling all year, loose hours of sleep, study decoy set ups, ect. After all that work it just does'nt make sence to me to go with a load because of price. I dont shoot Hevi Shot, but, i buy the load that patterns the best out my gun that i can afford.

So, to answer your question, go bigger, you wont be sorry.

[legband]

If you hunt over decoys the cheap shells should be fine...Ive read that in the cheaper shells some of the shot isnt as round as higher end steel as well as cheap wads..but over decoys cheap shells are fine if you can get them in close you dont need to spend 20 bucks a box...you said u were comparing a kent 2 3/4 inch 1 1/8 oz at 1550 fps...they dont make that..your gonna get 1 1/16 oz factory loads at 1550

[teal]

I shot strictly Winchester 3.5 last year. BB

This year I am going to 3inch BB Kent.

I too hunt a wide variety of birds at the same time. I just couldn't see an advantage of the 3.5 over the 3 on killing the birds I saw.

If people practice more on how rather than what they shoot, I think most would be better ahead than thinking a wonder choke or designer shot is the death ray for birds.

[Stallion1189]

ask Teamburnem... he has been doing a lot of testing on patterns and different shells

I like my Winchester Xperts 3in 2 shot 1550 $9.99 for duck and the 3.5in BBB for the geese good cheap shells

[freefall319]

I use Kent 3 1/2" #2's, they pattern best out of my gun. As well as the Remington Nitro Steel 3" & Drylock 3" #3's. The ketns are pretty cheap and they kill cleanly as long as i make the shot & i only use the factory chokes (SBE II).

[Bigslugger]

ask Teamburnem... he has been doing a lot of testing on patterns and different shells

I like my Winchester Xperts 3in 2 shot 1550 $9.99 for duck and the 3.5in BBB for the geese good cheap shells

I will never use Xperts after cutting one of them open! Not a BB was any where near round. They looked as if they were just chopped wire

[freefall319]

I will never use Xperts after cutting one of them open! Not a BB was any where near round. They looked as if they were just chopped wire

I found that out with the Remington Sportsmans too. Crappy shot makes for crappy paterns.

[corybdesign]

i've killed lots of ducks and geese with 2-3/4" shells. from the info you gave it sounds like they just reduced some powder so all your really losing is 10 fps. whats 10 fps when its still going at 1500+? i never shoot bigger than a 3". in the past i have shot 2-3/4" in early season and then once the birds are getting some denser feathers i'll switch to a 3" so there's a little more power to drive through the extra feathers and ensure the pellets are getting in where they need to.

[Ryan Skinner]

I will shoot 3" 2's in the earlier duck season in our flooded timber. Later in the season when the goose season comes in I switch to strictly Kent 3.5" #1's.

[Stallion1189]

I will never use Xperts after cutting one of them open! Not a BB was any where near round. They looked as if they were just chopped wire


Ya they may be cheap crappy shells.....but I have killed plenty of ducks and geese with them. I will be getting better shells this year tho, just because the ones that get away really piss me off LOL especially when its not even a hard shot

[Readytosmash]

3 1/2 whinchester supreme BB all around smashes everything... but you pay for them.. i agree with you bigslugger the expert 3"s are trash i bought five boxes at ten bucks a box and i swear it was like shooting rubber bands at ducks at thirty yards.. i put the supremes in and it was like nite and day.. might just be how they pattern outta my shotgun but from experience there trash.. i will stick with what kills no matter the price

[bullfrog]

If you shoot a remington 870 i would not recommend any winchester shot. my cousin and I shoot 870s and the cheap and expensive winchester shells jammed horribly, even a 3" threw my cousins gun (which could cycle 3.5") would jam nearly every time. i have shot Kent alot and am very impressed. i have recently patterned Fiocchi and they did very well and cycled very well. as for length i always shoot 3" even tho 2.75" could work i would rather not take a chance. i would rather have more knock down power in my gun any day